This place is a gem! Unique menu, attentive and welcoming staff with a warm, friendly can do! Attitude. Everything on the menu I have tasted so far was delicious. Bold flavors, fresh taste and just right portions for sharing or indulging. The library decor, warm wood and overall atmosphere, makes Beginnings a great place to hang out, meet friends or have a date night. Outside seating on a cool summer night with a bottle of red, sealed the deal for me last Friday and made it my absolute new favorite place. Maybe off the beaten path, and not on mainland Long Island, but so worth it! read more

Wow is an under stated description for this restaurant. Charming decor with a comfortable feel. The Waite staff with Jessica's guidance is always ready & willing to please the guests. The menu is creative and delicious . I was proud of my decision to have my daughters baby shower here. Every guest as well as myself were enthralled with the event. I will definitely be back read more

Unlike anything else on Long Island. If you like books, a good ambiance and great food, try it out. You won't be disappointed.

What a wonderful experience! The theme of the evening varies over the year. The night I went with my friend was a series of Jersey/Springstein themed dishes paired with drinks. Bring your appetite and adventurous side to this fabulous place. Ambiance is relaxing and music is not too loud (so you can have conversation with your friends). Make reservations so you get the tables against the wall away from the tv's and bar space, if you want to have a romantic date of convo with your SO. Go there! Don't wait. I'm definitely going back. read more

On July 8, 2023, I had a bridal shower at Beginnings for my daughter. Jessica and her staff were awesome. They were so helpful and accommodating from beginning to end. The place looked beautiful. The food was delicious and the service was great. Every guest complimented on how nice the shower was. I could not ask for a more beautiful day! read more

3rd time here bad service. People nice but very slow. Menu large and last time i was here I sent back the short ribs. Just ordered tonight's dinner. Crispy fish was over cooked. Sorry. read more

This is the best restaurant hands down in Atlantic Beach, rockaway and Long Beach area. They are doing the most CREATIVE dining experiences I've seen outside of NYC The service is outstanding, very friendly - proactive and knowledgeable of the menu. The cocktail menu is so diverse and has something for every palate and the fact they also have such over the top dessert cocktails is the cherry on top. The back bar also has a nice selection of spirits - specifically whiskey. The cocktails are balanced, consistent, imaginative and not stuffy. Really impressive as someone who works in the spirits/hospitality space. The food overall is great. The portions for the price are very fair. I highly recommend camparnelle pasta. They really knock that out of the park. The desserts are just as diverse as the cocktail menu. Key lime pie, and the peaches! Overall a must go read more

A must try ! It's now become my go to place, Great food , Friendly professional knowledgeable Staff plus Good selection of Beers ! What else do you need ! read more

Loved this place! I went for a baby shower and the space is absolutely stunning. Felt more like a cozy library than a bar/restaurant and I thought that was so special. And the food was great. I'm not sure how much was off a regular menu vs. an event menu, but we had a great crudite to start, followed by the Beginnings Salad which was delicious too. However, nothing was as good as the organic chicken with the roast garlic thyme demi and their fingerling potatoes. We also had great pesto gnocchi and grilled cheese/tomato bisque shooters, but those don't look to be on the regular menu. Definitely would visit here again! read more

Excellent place for brunch. Service was great. Tried one of their boozy ice cream cocktails and it was so delicious I had another. The Coraline cocktail was also a hit with my gf and her friend. They have a lot of things on the menu that we would've liked to try. Would definitely come back for them! read more

Always a great meal. Great variety and everything prepared perfectly. Lobster bisque risotto was outstanding

I can not say enough good things about this place. I have been here twice, once in winter and once last night. The first awesome thing is that they have seasonal menus so there is always something new to try. This time we got the short rib appetizer which legit melted in my mouth. It was cooked so perfectly and the garnishes and sauces complimented so well. For entree, I had the yard bird. Damn, was that good. The mashed potatoes and sweet corn were on point as well. The portion was very large, definitely could have fed two people. My friend got the halibut and could not stop raving about. He basically licked the plate clean. I will be coming back here at least once every season. I have not had a dish here that missed the mark. read more

We visited Beginnings with family this past weekend for dinner with the Easter bunny. We were very unhappy with our experience. The food overall was good and the portions were very large. However, the service was terrible! Our waitress was non existent most of the time we were there. We had to call over a waitress from another table to take our order after 30 minutes. Drink refills were needed and never came. Had to ask again for them. Little things such as needing more napkins, silverware, etc were never addressed. We never saw our waitress once from when our food came out till when bill came (which we had to ask for). Gratuity was included so we felt that she can care less how the service was. We noticed her on her cell phone numerous times throughout our time there as well. We were looking forward to a wonderful meal with family and unfortunately this restaurant did not do that for us. We will not be returning. read more

Love the atmosphere and decor, library-themed. The food is excellent and the boozy desserts are so much fun. Indoor and outdoor seating. Reservations are recommended. read more

We came to Beginnings for Mother's Day brunch. My first time there except for a baby shower I attended there years ago. Our waitress was very sweet, we had eggplant meatballs and Buffalo cauliflower to start, both great. Then I ordered the avocado toast as my main, which just wasn't what I was expecting from a restaurant that I heard such great things about. It was basically pre-made sabra guacamole spread on white bread. I sent it back, and they took it off the bill. Maybe my expectations were too high. I plan to return to hopefully have a better experience! read more

If you're in the Long Beach area and looking for a good date spot, but not the loud bar scene, this is the spot for you. From the always changing specials, to the cocktails, to the entire "library" feel with the hideaway bookcase bathroom, Beginnings is a great hidden gem right in front of your nose. read more

My favorite place!!! The food is consistently delicious, staff is fun & friendly, and the library theme is cool. Highly recommend Beginning!***** read more

A truly incredible evening organized by the owner Ben. We had gone for dinner a month or so ago and thought the space would be perfect to host a large dinner with friends. Ben graciously put together a menu customized for a "Friendsgiving" theme. He paired the courses with amazing craft beer and wine. The starters were practically a meal- bonchon wings, flat breads and clams with chorizo. The entrees were delicious! The standout was the bucatini carbonara and the shell steak. The ambiance and food is perfect for a date night or an evening out with friends. We plan on attending the Santa Brunch in a few weeks! Thanks Ben for a fantastic evening of food and friends! read more

Beginnings - Bars Near Me - Atlantic Beach, New York

UPDATE: So..unannounced and under the cover of darkness, the wife and I gave Beginnings another shot, and..I'm glad that we did! We were cordially greeted and the young proprietor could not have been more accommodating. The service was professional and the offerings were delicious. The only complaint? The limitations of the hard metal chairs and their ability to handle my generous hips and butt! All things considered we had a delightful experience and after a few rounds of "Sweating to the Oldies" to knock off a couple of pounds, look forward to our next visit! read more

What an amazing experience and outstanding service. Great cocktails. Octopus and Eggplant meatballs just awesome. Ended the evening with some dope banana pudding. The food was great, but the service was even better. Our waitress Katy was 10 out of 10. Next time we will specifically ask for her. read more

Was a great experience. A large open feel restaurant with a different theme. The literary idea is interesting and the decor appropriate. The special menu was more extensive than the regular menu. I had the Texas Brisket and it was perfect. They also have a nice selection of local tap beer and appealing drink specials. I've seen complaints about the owner but assuming he was the man who greeted and sat us I have to say he was very cordial and appreciative when we left. Will definitely be back and we were impressed to find such a unique restaurant in this neighborhood. read more

Beginnings - Bars Near Me - Atlantic Beach, New York

I had never heard of this restaurant before but friends of our wanted to try it so we went. The atmosphere is really cool, staff is extremely friendly and the menu is extensive. Between the 4 of us we ordered 2 apps and a soup. All were delicious and were very large portions. The four meals we ordered were also fantastic and portions were large. For my part I had the Buffalo cauliflower app and the filet mignon steak sandwich. The waitress was friendly and attentive and gave some good recommendations when asked. One point is that this is not a quick meal. We were out with friends and appreciated that the service was paced out and we never felt rushed. However, if you are looking for a quick, in and out meal you may not like the speed. Also, it is a very social place, so it can get a bit loud. Again, for a night out with friends we enjoyed the atmosphere, but for others that may be an issue. We will definitely be back. There were at least 3 or 4 other meals on the menu I want to try. read more

Ate there last night. My wife has Celiac, so she eats gluten free. Ordered the beyond burger and specified no bun. It come out on a regular bun. They bring it back to the kitchen and just take it off the bun. That cross contamination. Send it back for the second time, third time it comes back on a bun. The owner comes out and says its a G.F. bun... But we asked for no bun. He proceeded to berate us at the table and make a scene. I was shocked and so were the other diners. The waitress were great about it. the manager and owner really didn't care. read more

Simply the best. Excellent wait staff and everything on the menu is delicious. We love it so much here we decided to have a mini wedding with close friends and family. Ben was amazing from day one and his staff knocked it out of the park. Everyone loved the atmosphere, staff and food. I couldn't of asked for a better day!!! read more

Just had dinner there and was very disappointed in the food the help staff was great but I had to lead orange duck style which had absolutely no orange sauce with no sauce of any kind and my husband had the yard bird which was so totally dry I would not recommend this place read more

Came here for my boy friends birthday. We drove over a hour. Let me tell you it was worth every second. I do not do shots I only drink wine but we had a shot called Egg on your face. Omg. It was awesome. Our server Meredith was so awesome She guided us on what we wanted. Although everything was amazing. Give it a try make a reservation n enjoy . Meredith is there along with the other staff who are great read more

First time here, bar is beautiful and the bartender excellent! Dinner was good, could be much better. Started with ap's: octopus was tender but needed a sauce, some garlic, parsley and olive would have made it. The shumai were very good. Main course was fish tacos, these were good but could have been much better. Add some cilantro and fresh lime and these would light up. Fish and chips was very good. Overall a good place, on the expensi Second time was a bit better, good burger, fries and soft shell crab sandwich. read more

We waited 45 minutes to be seated AFTER our reservation. It was just the 2 of us so not that they were waiting for a big table to open up. We should've walked out after 1/2 hour. I can't really say the food was any better. I ordered the Yard Bird, basically fried chicken. I asked for dark but was told it's white & dark. When it came I only found 1 dark piece maybe...not even sure about that and no drumstick. I called the waitress over. She pointed to a second piece that she said had a drumstick sticking out. It was a small piece of wing attached to white meat. She took it back to the kitchen. When she brought it back she started pointing to what she said was dark meat. I bit into 1 that she said was dark but it was dried out white meat. I haven't even mentioned the slop it was sitting on. Was supposed to be garlic mashed (0 garlic flavor), Mexican street corn was inedible and some sweet sauce surrounding it all that made it even worse. The manager did take it off the bill, but no apology from him or the waitress. Will not be going back. read more

I am slightly more than slightly obsessed with this restaurant! Came here last weekend for a bridal shower and the day was absolutely perfect thanks to the accommodating staff and beautiful rustic decor that tied in perfectly with our decorations. Shower started at 12 and I got there at 11 in the morning to set up. The place was spotless, staff hurrying around getting things ready for the day and the general manager was fantastic. He made himself available as much as possible and we really appreciated that. At one point we were setting up flowers in mason jars on tables and needed stems to be cut. He happily took all of the flowers into the kitchen for us and had their chef use his big time scissors to get the job done much more efficiently for us. The place has somewhat of a speakeasy feel, the bathrooms are hidden through a door that looks like a bookcase, which is very neat. There are unfortunately only two bathrooms in the entire place, one for men and one for women, so there were a few times when we had to wait a bit and then there was none of that girl time in the bathroom while we do our makeup that we all like to do. Not a deal breaker though. The place is beautiful inside. Rustic wood furnishings, brick wall, very chic. There were several tables put together in the dining area and then two large high top tables, which were great for displaying appetizers. We had cheese and charcuterie boards to start and the regular meal was super unique and delicious. They served pink pancakes, chicken wings, BLT quiches, tossed salad, a pasta dish with pancetta and peas and roasted vegetables with potatoes. I felt there was something for everyone and the things I did try were delicious. The bartenders served drinks very quickly and they even gave tables pitchers of champagne because we were really enjoying them and it was much more efficient to have a pitcher, haha. I highly recommend this place for any sort of occasion, especially a bridal or baby shower. If I lived anywhere near here, I would definitely come back for dinner and drinks. The parking lot is a little bit small and cramped, but they have valet so that's always a plus. read more

Went here for a Trivia night. The trivia was lots of fun and we had a good time. The food, at least what I ordered, was left to be desired. I ordered "Grandma's Famous Matzo Ball Soup". If my grandma's soup ever tasted like that, she'd be rolling over in her grave. The broth was nasty and the matzo ball was sour! I lost my appetite. For the prices this little bistro charges, they should be double and triple tasting all of the food that goes out to their customers!! I got edamame instead. It was just okay. I would go back for the trivia, but NOT for the food!!! Sorry, Beginnings.... read more

Always a great time here, the food is very good and innovative enough to make you want to come back and try something else. Our waitress Megan was great and recommended the perfect bottle of wine for us! read more

Megan is the best server!!!!! every time she is personable helpful and makes the experience awesome. Had to ask her name because she's always so great. Had a wonderful time here the food is always great and the drinks are awesome too. Number one best thing is the setting of the restaurant. Great date night spot! read more

This was my first time coming here, and I have to say I had an amazing time. Food was awesome, and our waitress Megan was great. Definitely will be back and worth a try for those who are unsure. read more

Megan was great! Excellent wings, sooo crispy. We also enjoyed the drinks and the cookie shot! We will definitely be back for more. Also cozy and trendy ambiance. read more

*I wanted to go back and change this from 3 stars to 4 and to add that although I haven't changed my review in any other way, I did receive a message from one of the owners who read my original post and reached out to me. Although I still was not the biggest fan of the food, that type of dedication and outreach to customers really says something about a place! I totally appreciate that gesture and want to say I would give this place the benefit of the doubt (maybe a busy night or some such or maybe even I was feeling overly picky) and next time I have the opportunity I would definitely go again, based on such a conscientious ownership team. :) This is the type of place that thrives on aesthetic, which I'm totally okay with if you have the taste to back up that value, this place does not. First of all, it's clear right off the bat that this place is pricey, and given the ambiance that would normally be par for the course. In terms of the space, it is beautifully decorated and thematically whimsical and consistent throughout (from literary menu items/section, servers wearing book shirts, and antique library like decorations). The hardwood floors and shelving is absolutely gorgeous, the classic filament bulb light fixtures are super fun, and the bathroom hidden behind a bookshelf door is super charming. So, on the surface, I was pretty sold on this place. The only downside was that the restaurant was a bit loud and crowded once it got busy and once combined with the live music in a fairly small space, it got to be a bit too much. The service was a plus, friendly and very attentive, but nothing particularly above and beyond what should be expected. On to the food... The bread that started the meal was quite good, two different types of roles, in particular, the sauce-like spread they serve with it, the ingredients remain a mystery to me, but it was probably the highlight of the meal. We had three appetizers for the table: the Bon Chon wings (overcooked and way too salty), two bowls of edamame (small and expensive), and the calamari (best tasting, but also small and expensive). For entrees: we had a table of eight and most of us thought the food was sub-par, especially for the price tag. The only thing that didn't receive any complaints was the bbq pulled pork burger, and that was also the most affordable of the items ordered. The shrimp po-boy was fine, the shrimp was good, but the slaw was over spiced without much flavor and the bread was served cold and slightly stale/chewy. I myself had the bucatini carbonara, which was satisfying on a basic level but didn't have much depth of flavor and didn't even have any pepper on it, which to me is pretty basic go-to seasonings for everything. Plus, the sauce itself was a bit runny, especially for traditional carbonara. The best part of the meal was the poached egg, which was well cooked but for some reason came out a slightly purple-y color. My boyfriend had the softshell crab with potato puree, which was edible, but very very lemony and between the puree and the lemon sauce, it was quite runny overall. Another person got the pesto gnocchi and while I felt that the flavors were alright, the gnocchi itself was way too squishy, there was not a lot of textural elements and it got to be quite one note. The mushroom risotto was bland and mushy, according to my boyfriend's grandmotherm though I myself did not try it. So overall the food was pretty much a miss or mediocre on all fronts and an expensive one at that. Basically, if you're coming in for a drink and to check out the decor, that's fine, but don't bother breaking the bank on subpar food. read more

Beginnings - Very cute menu captions! - Bars Near Me - Atlantic Beach, New York

Great dining experience@ Beginnings!I had a $50 gift card my stepsister gave me so my family and I've ventured over for dinner,Very cool inside with all the books, dim lighting & Wood accents, I like the vibe a lot!The menu is very eclectic and different which I appreciate it! It's a husband and wife business and you could tell they put a lot of thought into it, started off with these deviled eggs with jalapeños,bacon & chipotle ketchup..absolutely phenomenal!,Next was this chopped wedge salad which they split,cold ,served on a cold plate,it was fresh and extremely tasty!For dinner I had the fish tacos and they were some of the best I ever had! The mahi fish was slightly blackened and grilled to perfection, talked with pico de gallo, avocado crema and chipotle aïoli, it came with a side of rice and beans which was very flavorful,My wife had the toasted Parmesan gnocchi and she approved as well! My kid who is a future yelp elite member said it was some of the best mac & cheese he ever had, I tried it and it was actually very good!they used like a spiral pasta and a delicious cheese sauce, my 7 yr old daughter had a little fruit and cheese plate because she's watching her waist LOL and for dessert we all shared these little delicious doughnut holes w 3 different three different dipping sauces consisting of warm nutella, raspberry and caramel, mind blowing!, I highly recommend Beginnings if you want something other than Chinese, Italian or Mexican And a great relaxed atmosphere, they really knocked it out of the park here! Delicious inventive food, potent drinks,& very good service to boot so Kudos to the owners and head chef on a job well done and a welcome addition to Atlantic Beach! read more

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Had the car valet-ed (no cost; yes I tipped). Did not have reservations and so was informed that we could sit at the bar, which the 3 of us did. My gin, elderflower and cucumber drink was delicious. A great variation of a gin & tonic - lime. My favorite appetizer was the Boom Boom Shrimp . I finished it just before we got our main course. The steak tartare needed a little salt but was otherwise very good. We had to order more bread - as they only provided small circular slices. Definitely needs more bread as part of the regular order. Love the Lobster Roll (sushi roll). My friend devoured the Chef Daves Steamed Clam. The Pork Belly Bao Buns were amazing and super tender. My friends ordered the ribeye and ribs respectively. I ordered the Duroc Tomahawk Pork Chop. It was cooked well. Sweet potato mash and caramelized onions were delicious. But it was a lot of sweet, it would have benefited being less sweet. Undeterred, we ordered a coffee cake which was incredibly delicious and airy. Not heavy at all. Also, the flight of boozy ice cream was a huge hit. The boys fought over it. The Pandora playlist was perfect. I knew every song . Will definitely go back! We drove 6 mins. to the boardwalk at the beach and convinced one friend to reconnect with a woman he is interested in. Epic evening! read more

Beginnings - The bill (with ordered menu items, prices & totals). - Bars Near Me - Atlantic Beach, New York

After a day at the beach we were hungry! So why was there nothing in their menu that appealed to me? So let's start with the bread- STALE hot dog roles. Ugh. The appetizers? Strange. Peppers with cinnamon sugar? The ribs? Eh. The fried chicken. Dry. The tuna? Not worth reporting about. Even the Brussels sprouts were greasy and too sweet. All in all, just the weirdest menu and food recipes and a dinner that was hardly touched. And then to pay what we paid -over $100 for two. What a waste. read more

First time there. Food was great. Staff was super friendly. Cocktails were amazing. Will definitely be back.

Cute inviting place with nice outdoor seating. They didn't have my first 2 choices of appetizers. Salmon in poke bowl was not fresh enough to be served raw. read more